Living Well

Following my manifesto for my 35^th year, I have been giving thought to what I can do to love the present moment.  There are so many moments where I’m choosing to be lazy or indulging in sad feelings, rather than seeing what is all around me – or more so, creating more in my life.  What I’m trying to say is, I was in survival more for at least 4 years (fertility, pregnancy + 2 after the divorce). The last year things have really settled down and I shifted from survival mode into existing. I didn’t realize I had made the shift but my life stopped being crisis after crisis and instead starting being little waves that ebb and flow, some bigger than others, but no huge tsunamis right now. But instead of filling my new-found non-crisis management time with things I love, I spend it watching the DVR or aimlessly playing on the phone (some of this is hazard of cold temps outside, warm fleece sheets and a dog cuddled up next to me).

My goal for my 35^th year: Live Well.  No more survival more, no more merely existing. I want to live well. It is the difference between eating your dinner standing up at the counter and sitting down at the table and chewing slower. The difference between decorating the house with things I love, and avoid decorating all together because I just don’t want to make the effort.  Effort – that’s a good word. Living well means to me putting in the extra effort to things that will improve everyday life.  I may not be able to ‘live well’ in the Thomas Crown sense, but I can certainly make the best of my environment and use of my time. I think this will be a big key to loving the present moment because everything will be focused on making each moment the best it can be.

These are some ideas of living well living well means to me – what does it mean to you?

• Free online college courses to learn about new subjects
• More time spent communing with my piano, less time spent playing on phone
• Reading
• Reading outdoors
• Walking with Grace and our dog
• Bird walks at the nature center
• Volunteering to walk dogs at the local animal rescue (this is already in the works)
• Having really nice tea
• Having really nice tea with my favorite people
• Learning how to cook new meals
• Lying in bed and watching TV with the dog…for a while